What I’ve done. . .

After a decade in New York, spent as a commercial illustrator and supervising the editorial production of LIFE magazine, I left publishing to devote myself to fine art, with a particular focus on drawing, bronze casting, woodwork and the creation of very intricate sculpture.

Between 1990 and 2000, I participated in over 2 dozen group and juried shows, 4 solo exhibitions, and enjoyed a very well received New York debut. Is it any surprise that I disliked the shallowness and falsity of the big city art scene? I have been much happier, and far more creatively successful, as a private, fiercely engaged artist. Now I work exclusively in black & white (mostly India ink), and spend a great deal of time hard at it.

I’ve also become a passionate writer. Although I’ve never counted, something like 100 of my articles have been published about fly fishing and fly tying in the US, Japan and Great Britain. Some years ago, I finished work on a very involved book project, a collection of my father’s newspaper columns entitled The Old Meat Hunter. I did the initial edit and foreword, as well as some ghost writing (dad died in 1993). I also designed the book, and created 53 large illustrations and text decorations. Sadly, I’m now almost tied with Dr. Seuss for the number of rejections he received before finally being published. Who knows what my future holds?

One thing is certain – I have more to do than ever. I’m excited by how far I’ve come, and just as perplexed. My sis tells me I’m like a guy in a boat who has rowed a 100 yards out into a lake. Now I’ve turned around and realized I’m all alone. No one else has left the shore. My sis points out that they don’t have a boat. They don’t know where I’m going and they have to swim. That’s a lot to ask. I think what she means by all of this is that any pursuit of creativity must also be concerned with helping others approach and understand it. I hope this website helps.